... "Fear and bewilderment at being scapegoated and punished for monstrous crimes enabled by the very people now demanding even more suicidal disarmament edicts is being replaced with anger and resolve, and there’s a sense that the sound and fury is just that, and contrary to the Borg ultimatum, resistance is definitely not futile, and not only that, but that it’s time to go on the offensive and kick some hindquarters." ...

... "So now we’re back to you, Mr. Security Agent, and your unique role in this high drama. Let me state this very clearly, both for you and for the liberal agenda-setting elites who might accidentally stumble upon this essay. Let there be no doubt about this. Let no one later say, 'But we were just trying to improve public safety. We had no idea that all these disastrous unintended consequences would happen.'"

"I am telling you now that disastrous unintended consequences will happen if Congress passes new laws banning presently legal firearms. To make it very easy to remember, and in the spirit of our beloved Department of Homeland Security’s old color-coded security threat levels, let me spell out three lines of demarcation." ...-------

"First off, I am no academic! I’m what used to be known as an edifier, or a person who learns (usually from hard knocks) and then explains to others. In the 'old days' many preachers were known as edifiers."

"I describe myself as a 'Student, Edifier, and Citizen!' First, I am a student, because I believe that when someone stops learning, they begin to die (both academically and physically). Next, I’m an edifier. If one does not share ones knowledge with his fellow man what good can become of his knowledge? Lastly, but certainly not least, I’m a Citizen – and note the capitol 'C' in citizen."

"Americans have had it so good for so long that most have forgotten just what power and responsibly belongs to that mighty word!" ...

"There has been, and will continue to be significant debate, litigation and legislation related to guns and the Second Amendment. I pose two questions related to it: Is the right to own a gun an unalienable, individual right; and second, why did the Founding Fathers include the 2nd Amendment in the Constitution?"

"It seems to me that when we debate issues as important as the Second Amendment we often forget our history and the reasons we have rights, like gun ownership, that are protected by, not granted to us, in our Constitution nor abridged by any form of government. ..." ...

"Real gun-free zones (enforced by metal detectors backed up by armed security guards) are fine for certain buildings. Pretend gun-free zones (bans on gun carrying by licensed people, but no procedures to keep out criminal gun carriers, and exacerbated by the absence of armed security) are magnets for mass killers. There is a reason why mass killers frequently attacks schools, movie theaters, or shopping malls which are pretend gun-free zones." ...

"Just as the rhetoric in Washington on guns has hit a zenith ... a court order has revived a stunning plan adopted by several states that tells Washington, regarding many guns, to just go away."

"Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association, confirmed that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled oral arguments in the MSSA v. Holder case for March 4 in Portland, Ore. He is the only individual who is a plaintiff in the case" ...

"'You probably know that I wrote the Montana Firearms Freedom Act to mount a challenge to federal 'Commerce Clause' power, using firearms as the vehicle for the exercise,' Marbut said in his announcement about the sudden movement in the case." ...

"I doubt I ever would have gone to the black market to purchase an illegal assault weapon if it wasn’t for New York’s annoyingly restrictive gun control laws. Wait. Let me back up a bit. New York State passed the Sullivan Act back in 1911. The law required people to get a government permit to own or carry any weapon small enough to be concealed—handguns, in particular. Issuing the permit would be a matter of official discretion, which is a policy continued to the present day."

"The motivation for passing the law was no secret. During debates leading to the ultimate passage of the gun control law, The New York Times editorialized:" ...

"Since the tragedy of the Newtown shootings, politicians and pundits have argued tirelessly that either the Second Amendment is inviolable or gun ownership should be further restricted to "legitimate" functions and limited inventories."

"But the issue is about far more than guns. Our country is beginning to witness a head-on collision between the exercise of the First and Second Amendments." ...

"Guns Save Life netted some publicity across the pond at the British Broadcasting Corporation yesterday, with the posting of a video and story on Guns Save Life’s activism defending American’s right to defend themselves." ...

"The liberal Democrat political machine has been in high gear seeking restrictions on gun ownership ever since the December 11, 2012 massacre of twenty young children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut. According to the left, that hideous event constitutes inarguable proof that America needs to rescind the Second Amendment. For the good of everyone, and particularly 'the children,' the guns must go." ...

"Dan’s kidney stone is in a hazardous waste receptacle somewhere, destined for the same treatment my entire body will receive in due course. Meanwhile, the chances of running out of firearms-related news are somewhat less than the odds that I’ll spend part of the New Year dating Mor Maman. In the midst of this malevolent maelstrom of unconscionably unconstitutional assaults on the firearms freedom created by our Founding Fathers comes . . . the SHOT Show. Hundreds of exhibitors flogging a farrago of guns and gun-related gear. At the risk of suicide by alliteration . . ." ...

"When it comes to .223 ammunition, you get what you pay for in many ways when it comes to performance but there may be more than just price to consider, according to a recent test conducted by the team at LuckyGunner Labs."

"LuckyGunner’s ambitious ammo test paired 10,000 rounds of ammunition with one of four Bushmaster AR-15 rifles. Brown Bear, Federal, Tula, and Wolf were all represented in the testing. The team set out to experiment and see the impact of brass vs. steel cased ammunition while also observing other factors like the effect of lacquer coating, a trait common with the Brown Bear brand, on 223 ammo." ...

"When was the last time you went into an old fashioned brick-and-mortar gun store? In the last two weeks? If so, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. Guns are selling well. Very well. And the available stock isn’t being replaced quickly. Part of this has to do with it being the end of the year. But let’s be honest. People are buying guns." ...

"Ever since a 1989 Executive Order restricted the importation of specifically named semi-automatic rifles into the United States, certain affected models have achieved near legendary status—partly because they had a well-deserved reputation for performance in international circles and partly because they became expensive and difficult to obtain. The fact that later-modified iterations remained available for a time afterward did little to suppress the appetite among hardcore military rifle aficionados for the genuine article with all of its original military characteristics."

"No series of rifles better represents the case than the SIG 550 series. ..." ...

"ArmaLite’s new high-precision rifle is just like the AR-50A1, but chambered and re-barreled to accept the .416 Barrett cartridge. Because of that, the AR-50A1-.416 Barrett boasts the same ArmaLite patented V-Lock™ Bedding Wedge and V-Block Stock that assure absolute strength and repeatability for superb accuracy. The aluminum stock reinforces the receiver like a bench-rest sleeve."

"Added to all of that is the famous .416 Barrett cartridge, which contains a .416 caliber projectile capable of sustaining supersonic speeds out to the 2,000 yards, which is the key to achieving long range accuracy. ..." ...

"Desert Tactical Arms is updating their caliber-hopping SRS (Stealth Recon Scout) rifle for 2013. They’re adding a handful of features to their guaranteed 1/2-MOA modular chassis that many people have come to expect with firearms of this class. From the SRS product page:" ...

"THIS IS SPARTA…or at least a 1911 commemorating the ancient Greek nation-state. The SIG 1911 Spartan is a special edition, full-size 1911 with a great looking finish. While I am sure this gun will shoot, this is an awesome bar-b-que gun."

"The finish is an oil-rubbed bronze Nitron finish, while the engraved 'Molon Labe' on the slide is 24k gold inlayed. Controls and other accents are black. The grips are Hogue Spartan grips." ...

"In reply to Art Bonneau's letter 'Citizens Need Arms' (Jan. 7): Our country's leaders need to start looking at the future instead of attempting to put out today's fires with an empty fire extinguisher. Nothing we do today will curb the violence. It's impossible to achieve in our society. But if we fail to act today to curb the senseless gun-powered violence, the future truly looks grim. When the Second Amendment was written, the gun of choice was a single-shot muzzleloader. We know what we have today, but we haven't a clue what people will be able to buy in the future." ...

"an Etch A Sketch. You can make it into pretty much whatever you want."

"an optical-illusory M.C. Escher staircase that climbs back into itself."

"How can something apparently so simple — a 27-word sentence — be so confusing? What is so hard to understand ..."

"As it turns out, after more than 200 years of intense scrutiny by people more versed in The Law than you and I — and in the face of seemingly endless American gun violence — the meaning of the Second Amendment continues to baffle and elude. In this case, the country's Founders have left us to founder." ...

"Last month, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals declared Illinois’s ban on carrying a weapon in public unconstitutional, leaving the District of Columbia as the only place in the country that does not allow the concealed carry of firearms by civilians (and D.C. is being sued to allow this)."

"The morally purblind pro-gun lobbyists have been so successful in saturating our society with firearms—from national parks to Amtrak trains—that public libraries across the country are also finding themselves having to grapple with Second Amendment radicals." ...

"If you want to protect your family from the slim chance of a home invasion, you have this right as an American. Get a glock with a magazine that holds 20-30 rounds, a security system, and a pit bull. If you need more than this, you are either way too paranoid or you're a fucking pussy. ... Get over this whole bullshit Second Amendment right to bear machine guns and rocket launchers. Learn how to shoot a reasonable gun, or go fuck yourself."

"I know the classic NRA comeback ... Here is my response: 'People who are firing a weapon with high-capacity magazines that shoot 100 rounds per minute will kill a lot more fucking people than those with 20-30 rounds.' So the question comes down to how many dead children do we want to bury? ..." ...

"Reading from left to right on the Sunday editorial pages, Kirk Smith and Walter Williams present some interesting but dubious defenses for the Second Amendment to the Constitution."

"I’m puzzled about how Smith segues from a Second Amendment right to bear arms to 'our God-given right' to own guns. Huh? The Bible tells us we have a duty to protect our family and our possessions from intruders. It’s a stretch from that to ownership and use of the kind of military weapons designed specifically to kill human beings efficiently." ...

"If you’ve been reading our letters in recent weeks, you’ve seen that since the killings in Newtown, Conn., many of them have been about guns and gun control. Newspapers all over the country have been getting such letters."

"What they show is that there’s a deep schism in this country when it comes to guns. On one side are those gun owners who believe the Second Amendment gives them the absolute right to own just about any weapon they desire, including military-style rifles and handguns designed to shoot bazillions of bullets a minute, without restriction. ..." ...-------

"The NRA claims guns are the answer: Give teachers loaded guns, not apples, and all will be peaceful."

"Members' dogmatic claims of Second Amendment rights (with its reference to a well-ordered militia conveniently ignored) are extended to include any armament their macho, Rambo, tough-guy fantasies can lust for. These weapons include assault rifles that have no hunting or defensive purpose, only aggression, imagined and real."

"As for their claims of self-defense, they're nonsense. How many readers know anyone outside a war zone who has actually defended themselves with a gun?" ...-------

Submitter's Note: My friend Joel whose wife woke him when the burglar reached under the covers to touch her (he woke up bellowing I'm gonna get my gun and shoot the S.O.B.; oddly, the burglar(s) fled), plus 1 - 2 million others annually.

"The raw grief in Newtown, Conn., over its elementary school massacre is not one month old, yet there is talk from top Washington Republican circles the nation's pressing fiscal problems might crowd out comprehensive anti-gun-violence measures for now."

"Well, Congress should be able to walk, chew gum and find the elusive safety latch on America's frightening arsenal of guns." ...

"'We cannot have big guns out here as far as the big guns that are out here, the semi-automatics and all of them,' Muhlbauer said. 'We can't have those running around out here. Those are not hunting weapons.'"

"He added, 'We should ban those in Iowa.'"

"Muhlbauer, who did not list the specific weapons he wants outlawed in The Daily Times Herald interview, said he would like to see the ban implemented in a retroactive fashion." ...-------

H/t to David Codrea who appreciates how this "crisis" has driven antis to expose their real agenda.

"Conservatives say that the Second Amendment guarantees them the right to bear arms – as many arms of whatever type they choose. But where are the rights of the schoolchildren, educators and families who have fallen victim to indiscriminate gun violence? Do we all not have the constitutional rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? How are these rights enhanced when any gun-wielding fool can wantonly and with ease obtain and use weapons that massacre our fellow citizens by the score?" ...

... "We as a society should feel ashamed -- and perhaps the guilt we feel will turn into action. We will never forget this tragic December of 2012. But we MUST remember that 30 people die every day, including young children, from guns."

"NOW is the time for America to stand up against the special interest lobbies that only represent corporations who are only interested in the Yankee Dollar, and not the people and the 20 beautiful little angels and other innocent children who get killed by guns every day in America."-------

Submitter's Note: Actually only 0.3 of that 30 is "young children" (0-9). Yes somewhat over 106 kids murdered with guns every year is hideous, but what is more hideous is that 7 times that many kids were murdered with something other than a firearm in that same period.

... "I am proposing that Massachusetts take the lead by creating and regulating a militia to which every gun-owner in the state would be obliged to belong. Our governor could call out the Massachusetts Militia in times of emergency ... Members would drill, be trained in relevant skills, and lead local parades on patriotic holidays. With mandatory enrollment, registration and tracking of gun owners might be more feasible. Regulations would spell out meaningfully stern penalties for gun owners who did not enroll in the Massachusetts Militia. I’d like to see mandatory fees from members as well, but that would entail lengthy public debate and perhaps kill the idea." ...

"Keith Ratliff, business partner of gun-devoted YouTube channel FPSRussia, was found shot in the head last Thursday. Authorities, who discovered the body on a road in Carnesville, Georgia, are considering the death a homicide." ...

"In the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, Jon Stewart devoted last night’s 'The Daily Show' to trying to take apart the arguments that gun rights activists make against firearm restrictions. Will he change anyone’s mind about Second Amendment rights? What do you think? ..."

"British troops serving in Afghanistan will soon be issued a new sidearm, the Glock 17. The Glocks will replace the L9A1s—Browning Hi-Powers with an ambidextrous safety—in service that have been standard-issue for about 50 years."

"The decision follows more than two years of evaluating the Glock for service, and calls for 25,000 Glock 17s to fill the £8.5 ($13.6) million contract. Some troops have been issued SIG P226 pistols to replace their aging Hi-Powers as a stop-gap measure, but it’s the Austrian pistol that has won the hearts and minds at the British Ministry of Defense." ...

"I know that you can see my name in my email address, however, if you don’t mind I would like to remain anonymous for obvious reasons which will become clear in a moment."

"Please, allow me to introduce myself. I was a Marine scout/sniper. I fought in Fallujah, Iraq in Nov 2004 with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Alpha Co, 1st plt. I was in the historical 'Candy Shop' skirmish. I was also involved in Afghanistan, Liberia, Djibouti, and a slew of other places many people have never heard of. I know what I am talking about and usually stay quiet on many subjects, but the subject of gun control has me irritated . . ." ...

"In Sunday’s New York Times, Elisabeth Rosenthal claimed, as the title of her article put it, 'More Guns = More Killing.' She based this on evidence that would never be permitted in any other context at the Times: (1) anecdotal observations; and (2) bald assertions of an activist, blandly repeated with absolutely no independent fact-checking by the Times." ...

"For those of you who don’t remember, Piers Morgan was fired from his position at the Daily Mirror in Britain when he published doctored photographs that showed British soldiers committing what appeared to be war crimes. ..."

"Just in case you want to know why the Second Amendment is important, consider what happened in Georgia. An intruder came in the house, and a woman with her two children hid in a crawl space before the perpetrator opened the door. The woman unloaded her gun and nailed her potential assailant with five shots to the chest. When she realized she was out of bullet, she fled with her children to a neighbor’s house while the assailant tried to drive away before crashing his car and being apprehended." ...

"Anyone doubting the horrid state of our mental health care system in the United States needs to look no further than the insane rant a few weeks ago by National Rifle Association President Wayne LaPierre. Get that man some therapy. His solution to the Newtown, Conn., tragedy is outrageous."

"I think that as human beings, our natural inclination as a species, I would hope, is to evolve not de-evolve, and I am afraid that putting armed guards and/or principals in all of our public and/or private schools is going in the wrong direction. The chance for human error or possibly pulling the trigger too fast for those not trained correctly in the use of firearms is very real and could happen." ...

"It’s been weeks since the massacre at an elementary school and judging from letters to the editor, people are more concerned with protecting guns than protecting children. They claim we need the Second Amendment to ensure our freedoms."

"I made a list of freedoms and couldn’t find a single one which had been delivered to me via a gun. The right for women to vote was conveyed through protests and petitions. Martin Luther King didn’t lead civil rights marches holding a rifle. ..." ...-------

Submitter's Note: No, he let the Deacons for Defense and Justice carry the guns that protected him, his family and a good bit of the SCLC leadership and their families.

"Sadly, so called 'assault rifles' are getting a lot of negative press lately and are being subjected to a great deal of misinformation. This is not just coming from the usual anti-gun crowd, whom one would expect to lack knowledge about firearms and how they function, but also from supposedly knowledgeable gun owners and hunters, some of whom favor 'reasonable' controls on firearms freedoms. Here are a few of the fallacies." ...

"Vice President Joe Biden set off alarms across the firearms community with a remark Wednesday that President Barack Obama 'is going to act' and that he is looking at issuing 'executive orders' or taking 'executive action' on guns."

"It was such a volatile remark that the Drudge Report ran the headline under images of Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. It also made headlines on The Gun Wire." ...

"During Fox News’ 'Special Report' Wednesday night, syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer said no proposed assault weapons ban will have a significant impact on gun violence — unless the federal government is willing to violate the Constitution and confiscate all the guns." ...

"He said an assault weapons ban might make laws tighter, but statistics show such a ban does not actually decrease gun violence. If the U.S. were to have an 'honest' debate about guns, he said, 'gun owners would admit that yes, of course the guns contribute to homicide.'" ...-------

Submitter's Note: And if the antis were to have an 'honest' debate about guns they would admit that yes, of course there are in excess of 1 million DGUs annually and twice as many lives are save in DGUs as are lost to CGUs, but I don't see that happening anytime real soon.

"Approaching a month since the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, the national debate on gun control has taken an alarming turn, and answers for effective legislation to keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people while respecting the Second Amendment seem no closer to the table. The pro-gun and anti-gun sides appear to be becoming more vitriolic towards each other, and majority-supported policy to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally unstable has not come easily." ...

"Here we go again — gun control, gun restrictions, some want an all-out gun ban. No current or proposed law would have stopped the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. Criminals will continue to acquire guns unless the world rids itself of guns and the machinery and know-how to make them."

"Gun laws do not deter gun violence from criminals. Only law-abiding, responsible citizens will follow the rule of law. So it's the honest citizen that has no means to defend himself or herself. ..." ...

"Molotov Mitchell is president of the award-winning Illuminati Pictures. His specialty is entertainment communications, particularly reaching the "under 40" demographic. He is available for speaking engagements through CMG."-------

Submitter's Note: Molotiv Mitchell apparently found some video and information that Sandy Hook reports were WAY out to lunch.

"'The president is going to act,' said Biden, giving some comments to the press before a meeting with victims of gun violence. 'There are executive orders, there's executive action that can be taken. We haven't decided what that is yet. But we're compiling it all with the help of the attorney general and the rest of the cabinet members as well as legislative action that we believe is required.'"

"Biden said that this is a moral issue and that 'it's critically important that we act.'" ...

"Obama has promised more racist gun control legislation as well, further disarming those most in need of personal defense tools: his urban center voters. It is simply lunacy in that so many inner city blacks support gun control when private gun ownership by blacks are what kept the Klan riders away decades ago." ...

"It was almost four years ago when [redacted] walked into the American Civic Association in Binghamton. He shot and killed thirteen people before killing himself. Since that April day in 2009, the Binghamton community has watched as similar shootings have unfolded in places such as Arizona, Colorado and Connecticut."

"'These cases are beyond tragic and our thoughts and prayers continue to go with the family and friends of the lost here and across the country,' said Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan."

"Tuesday, Mayor Ryan joined with local law enforcement to call on Congress to pass laws to help stop that kind of violence." ...

"Ellenville Mayor Jeff Kaplan, who ignited a firestorm of opposition over a proposed gun ban in the village last month, has apologized for his proposal while also making a new proposal supporting increased gun restrictions."

"In his seven-point resolution, Kaplan criticized county and state officials for cutting back funding for mental health and police presence in schools."

"In a statement released Tuesday, Kaplan said he was wrong in 'jumping to the conclusion' that a gun ban should be implemented in the village in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. massacre." ...

"Are Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine about to engage on a monumental piece of hypocrisy with their 'no questions asked' gun buyback program?"

"Aren’t they opening up a giant loophole through which criminals might theoretically unload stolen guns or guns they’ve used in crimes, knowing that the evidence will be destroyed, or at least not linked back to them? It’s a question McGinn – the epitome of a liberal gun prohibitionist – and others who climbed aboard the 'buyback' scheme announced Tuesday morning, should have to answer." ...

"Freshman Rep. Tom Cotton, a veteran of two wars and with a pair of Harvard degrees, got a pleasant surprise last year that helped him win a very competitive Republican primary — and then a very easy general election. ..." ...

"Cotton has been flooded with calls in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shootings, 9-to-1 against supporting any new gun control. There is zero chance he will vote for any new gun laws. And he sees a need to deal with immigration — but in small steps that avoid granting legal status or citizenship to people here illegally." ...

"In response to the Sandy Hook school shootings, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is working on a proposed bill that would ban '120 specifically named firearms.'"

"Sen. Feinstein hasn't released her list of guns yet, but The Atlantic Wire has created a list (below) of some of the most bannable semi-automatic weapons. By a general definition, a semi-automatic weapon shoots a round and automatically reloads." ...

... "Short of institutionalization, there are other measures that might help to make it more difficult for the deranged to obtain firearms. But liberals don’t seem interested in such practical proposals. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that with respect to guns, as with many other issues, the Democrats are interested only in demagoguery, not serious governance."

"Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) plans to introduce the Ammunition Background Check Act which would mandate NICS checks for all ammunition purchases. His legislation would reinstate the record keeping requirement for ammo sales, a report to ATF whenever anyone buys more than 1,000 rounds within a 5 day period, bans teflon-coated and incendiary bullets, and require reports of stolen ammunition."

"According to CNN, Blumenthal is introducing this legislation 'to keep faith with the people of Newtown and elsewhere who want action to combat gun violence.'" ...

"National Rifle Association President David Keene gave a rare post-Newtown interview on the Brooklyn GOP Radio podcast this evening in which he responded to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s vow to bring New York some of the 'toughest' gun control laws in the country. Mr. Keene began by taking issue with Governor Cuomo’s prediction that other states would follow New York’s example and pass similar laws."

"'I was amazed that he said other states will follow New York,' Mr. Keene said. 'They haven’t done that in the past, there’s no reason to believe that they will in the future.'" ...

"A key Tucson legislative Democrat wants to make it a crime for Arizonans to buy a high-capacity ammunition magazine."

"'I don't think anybody needs a weapon of war on the streets of Arizona,' said Linda Lopez, the assistant Senate minority leader. Her measure, set to be unveiled today, would also outlaw both the possession and transfer of any such clip, defined as capable of holding 10 or more rounds." ...

"After vowing online to brandish weapons to strike fear into the hearts of politicians contemplating gun control, the group of gun owners who attended a rally near the Capitol Wednesday let their signs and Gadsden flags do most of the talking."

"While some admitted they were carrying concealed weapons, protesters were passionate but controlled as they stood alongside Lincoln Avenue across from the Capitol where the legislature opened earlier in the morning." ...

"Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s written State of the State message calls for closing loopholes in the state’s ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines as well as a proposal to require background checks for all gun sales, even if they are private."

"Cuomo will also propose allowing the state to revoke a firearms license if a mental health professional determines the license holder is 'in serious harm[sic] to self or others.'"

"The governor’s gun plan includes a mix of specifics and broad language. It’s light on details when it comes to bolstering penalties for gun crimes and possession of illegal guns." ...

... "Rible appeared Tuesday morning on CNN’s Newsroom program, talking about his support for banning the release gun owner information. He was interviewed for about 5 minutes by CNN anchor Carol Costello."

"'I don’t want to see us in New Jersey creating a blueprint for criminals to go out and find these guns,' Rible said. 'Everyone’s talking about getting guns off the streets, by releasing this information I think you’re actually putting more guns on the streets.'" ...

"New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing new gun control legislation, including "one of the country's most restrictive bans on assault weapons," according to The New York Times. The story illustrates once again the confusion created by treating 'assault weapons' as an objective category, as opposed to an arbitrary, scary-sounding term that has no meaning outside of the laws that define it." ...

"I gather from this that Cuomo wants to confiscate all the millions of pre-existing magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Good luck with that. ..."

"Mayor Peter Swiderski posted his year-ahead message to the village of Hastings-On-Hudson this week, touching on several issues, including his participation in Mayors Against Illegal Guns."

"Ardsley Mayor Robert Porcino and Irvington Mayor Brian C. Smith join Swiderski as Rivertowns members of the mayors organization."

"Swiderski said Mayors Against Legal Guns, established by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, was working toward getting state and federal governments to take action on gun control issues following the recent deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn." ...

"A deal to give New York one of the toughest gun control laws in the nation is being negotiated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who, sources said Tuesday, is hoping to announce the plan Wednesday during his State of the State speech in Albany."

"Cuomo hopes to jump-start the 2013 legislative session with a big deal that could dramatically alter gun control laws across the state." ...

"Directors of the Saratoga Springs City Center on Wednesday rejected final pleas from more than 20 residents to cancel this weekend's gun show, but said they would review future bookings in the city-owned facility."

"At an emotion-packed meeting held in the center, parents, activists and others told the facility's board of directors the annual gun show does not fit the community's character and shouldn't be held after the Dec. 14 elementary school shootings in Newtown, Conn." ...

"Should guns be allowed on college campuses? That's the question Indiana lawmakers are trying to answer."

"'This is kind of a tricky subject because for a lot of people especially in the state of Indiana, they believe that the Second Amendment is very important,' said Andy Downs of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics." ...

"There’s an old Chris Rock bit about how we don’t actually need gun control, we need bullet control. Apparently lawmakers in the state of California have taken that advice to heart, and are introducing legislation that would require ammunition purchasers to present identification and have the sales reported to the DOJ."

"The goal is ostensibly to prevent criminals from stockpiling bullets, but I get the feeling that the real intention is to create lists of people who buy ammunition in bulk. BTW, I usually go through about 1,000 rounds of 5.56 ammo alone in about a month. The only logical reason to record these transactions would be to try and identify people who buy large amounts of ammunition ..." ...

"Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) is not taking a position yet on legislation introduced in her state to cross-train teachers as police officers in order to carry guns."

"Fallin, in town Wednesday for the National Governors Association's State of the States address, told The Huffington Post that since the Oklahoma state legislature is not convening until February, she cannot offer a position on the legislation introduced by state Rep. Mark McCullough (R-Sapulpa) to arm teachers." ...

"We won’t know what’s in the Garden State gun grabbers’ bills until later today. But Rob Eichmann [via conservativenewjersey.com] reports that NJ Democrats have introduced 18—count ‘em 18—gun control bills yesterday. [Full list after the jump] As our tipster pointed out, even the names are scary: 'A-3676 Requires psychological evaluation and in-home inspection as prerequisite to purchase firearm.' Clearly, no matter what happens or, preferably, doesn’t happen with gun control at the federal level, the lights (of liberty) are going out all over the Northeast. ..." ...

"A lot has happened since the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals told lawmakers in December that they had to enact a statute allowing Illinoisans to carry concealed weapons. The Newtown, Conn., shootings, in which 20 little children were shot by a gunman, have caused the country to start rethinking our country’s mental health system and the way guns are regulated."

"Aides to Attorney General Lisa Madigan said the shootings didn’t play a role in her decision to appeal to the full 7th Circuit, but it certainly had to have popped into their minds." ...

"Sheriff Scott Berry, of Oconee County, Georgia, may or may not be affiliated with the Oath Keepers (active duty and retired military and law enforcement personnel who have taken an oath to disobey unconstitutional orders, with orders to disarm the American people listed first). Whether officially a member of Oath Keepers or not, a recent decision of his makes it clear that he embodies the same noble principles that drive that group." ...

"The current ongoing controversy concerning the gun rights of ordinary citizens, as protected by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, has placed the spotlight on a pro-gun sheriff and a television station that appears to be antagonistic to his views. The station implied Tuesday in a special report that the sheriff's well-known views on guns is partly to blame for a spike in murders." ...

"While the Obama administration and some Democrat lawmakers plot ever more extreme assaults on the Second Amendment, state and local officials across the country are working just as hard to find ways to protect the gun rights of law-abiding citizens in their jurisdictions. One local Pennsylvania police chief is helping to lead the way, asking officials in his borough to pass an ordinance or resolution nullifying any unconstitutional attacks on the unalienable rights of residents." ...

"Despite facing the possibility of life in prison, Aaron Hughes pleaded guilty Monday to incest and will avoid a public trial and additional charges."

"The 40-year-old former Elko police captain matter-of-factly admitted in court to having sex with a female relative."

"'I entered into an act of fornication with a relative,' Hughes told District Judge Nancy Porter."

"Hughes was arrested on a warrant in 2008 after Sheriff’s deputies confiscated a sexually explicit video involving Hughes and a 17-year-old female relative downloaded from a computer. He was charged with using a minor in the production of pornography and incest." ...

"A former North Georgia deputy faces charges of obstructing a civil rights investigation involving a woman’s arrest shortly after she publicly accused a judge of asking her for sex."

"The criminal charges unsealed Wednesday are the first to be filed in a sensational case that has led to the ouster of a Murray County judge and two deputies. U.S. Attorney Sally Yates said the investigation is continuing." ...

"Greeson, who was fired by the Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 29, will plead not guilty and 'completely cooperate' with authorities, his lawyer, Ed Marger, said."

"'He doesn’t believe he is guilty of anything,' Marger said. 'He was following orders from his superior officer as the good policeman he was does.'" ...

"Former Lake County sheriff's Lt. C.J. Thompson turned himself into authorities Monday afternoon on a grand theft charge after a Florida Department of Law Enforcement probe, according to the Sheriff's Office."

"During the ethics investigation Thompson admitted to using the agency's credit card to purchase a laptop for his 16-year-old son and then paying the bill with the department's investigative funds in January of 2011." ...

"Unfortunately, when police found two prescription pills that didn’t belong to Jamie, police took her to jail for drug possession.That’s where Jamie sat for less than two hours before being found unresponsive." ...

"A former Pennsville Police officer recently admitted to destroying a computer hard drive while under investigation by the FBI on charges of allegedly possessing child pornography ..."

"... Robert Waterman ... pleaded guilty on Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler to an indictment charging him with one count of obstruction of a federal investigation for destroying the hard drive."

"According to authorities, on March 4, 2010, the FBI began a criminal investigation of Waterman — then a Pennsville police officer and school resource officer with the Pennsville Township School District — after allegations surfaced that he may have possessed child pornography." ...

"A federal grand jury has indicted two former South Texas police officers and two former sheriff's deputies on drug charges."

"The U.S. Attorney's office said Wednesday, 28-year-old Jonathan Trevino, 29-year-old Alexis Espinoza, 28-year-old Fabian Rodriguez and 30-year-old Gerardo Mendoza-Duran were indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, as well as aiding and abetting charges." ...

"Westport police arrested an 86-year-old woman accused of bringing a BB gun to a town meeting."

"When detectives retrieved the gun, Estelle Margolis, 86, of Westport, Conn., told officers she brought it to make a point during a discussion about gun control to show how easy it is to purchase a gun, according to police."

"At 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday, a Representative Town Meeting member approached a Westport police officer and reported that he and another RTM member believed a woman walked into the auditorium with what they believed was a weapon under a white cloth, police said." ...

... "I don’t know much about D.C. criminal procedure, but I assume the police found reason to believe that Gregory violated the law; otherwise I doubt it would have “presented” his case. Now it is up to the D.C. Attorney General, Irving Nathan, to determine whether to prosecute. This decision, I imagine, will entail a review of the evidence presented and, perhaps, some exercise of prosecutorial discretion." ...

"Chicago’s illustrious Police Chief, Superintendent or SuperNintendo (whichever you wish to call him) got on a local radio station in Chicago and told it like he perceives it."

"He said that citizens licensed to carry could be, and indeed predicted they would be shot by Chicago Police Officers." ...

"'I don’t care if they’re licensed legal firearms, people who are not highly trained… putting guns in their hands is a recipe for disaster. So I’ll train our officers that there is a concealed carry law, but when somebody turns with a firearm in their hand the officer does not have an obligation to wait to get shot to return fire and we’re going to have tragedies as a result of that. I’m telling you right up front.'" ...

"The Washington Post is reporting that Washington, D.C., police have finished their investigation of David Gregory following his brandishing of a high-capacity ammunition magazine on Meet the Press. The case has been turned over to the District of Columbia’s prosecutorial authorities, who must now decide how aggressively to prosecute their strict gun control laws. So what happens next? Well, according to the Post:"

"The question of how to proceed now rests with the office of Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan, which oversees prosecutions of some low-level offenses. A spokesman for Nathan said the office would not comment until a decision was made." ...

"So, a newspaper in New York State decided that since guns were obviously tools of the devil, they should publish the names and locations of people licensed to have them in their community. ..." ...

"... One enterprising blogger countered by publishing the home addresses of the newspaper staff. Utterly horrified, the powers that be at the newspaper called the police and told them they’d been threatened. The police investigated, and determined that readers expressing outrage at the paper having done a stupid thing did not constitute criminal threatening. The paper, wetting its institutional pants apparently, hired armed security: an act of hypocrisy that will probably be cited in journalism school forever into the future. ..." ...

"Online gossip magazine Gawker says it received death threats after publishing a dated list of the names of registered gun owners in New York City."

"Less than two hours after the list was published Tuesday, Gawker said someone called the company’s office in New York and said 'You’re (expletive) dead.' Gawker posted an audio clip of the call on its website."

"Gawker said one if its employees also received an ominous phone call after the post went up warning her: 'You better look both ways when you leave the building' and 'all of you better look both ways because you're going to get shot.'" ...

"'There will come a time when the gun owners of America, the law-abiding gun owners of America, will be the Rosa Parks and we will sit down on the front seat of the bus, case closed.'"

"This was the response of Ted Nugent, rock legend and long-time defender of the Second Amendment, when asked what he would do should the government decide to go forward with any of the many firearms-confiscation plans now being developed." ...

"I grieve the loss of those murdered by gun violence, yet I am opposed to those who maintain strict gun control is the panacea for stopping it. The Second Amendment is an integral part of the Constitution, for it guarantees an individual's right to defend himself and his property. In Castle Rock v. Gonzales in 2005, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that 'Police have no duty to defend.'"

"Naturally, police will defend the public to the best of their ability; however, the ruling tragically evinced that the responsibility of personal defense ultimately rests upon the individual citizen. Therefore, it is imperative to preserve the Second Amendment." ...

"Every man having a sense of humanity detests seeing families destroyed, innocent children sacrificed and promising lives snuffed as witnessed at Sandy Hook School. The argument that reducing the number of guns will produce a safer society beguiles the public, promotes politicians and fails to hold wicked people accountable for their actions."

"While gun rights supporters assert that the Constitutional Second Amendment right of the people to keep and bears arms is an inalienable individual right just as freedom of speech or religion, and confirmed by the our Supreme Court. Gun opponents assert this right pertains only to collective bodies such as the militia, the military, police or National Guard." ...

"America’s Declaration of Independence is based upon the 'self-evident' truth that all men 'are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.' By referring to them as 'unalienable,' the founders of our liberty meant that they are natural rights distinct from legal rights. That’s an important distinction to note, because natural rights are those neither incidental to the laws of any government nor contingent upon any customs or beliefs of any particular culture."

"First and foremost among our few natural rights is the right of self-protection. ..." ...

"Leonard Pitts’ Jan. 8 column paints what he sees as a frightening scenario when National Rifle Association Vice President Wayne LaPierre’s statement that 'the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun' is carried to its logical end, with armed guards on all fire trucks, at all grocery stores, malls, processing plants, private residences, and at every street corner."

"What Pitts is describing is what already exists in 49 states. With the passage of 'shall issue' concealed carry laws, violent crime has plummeted nationwide."

"Good guys (and girls) with guns do stop bad guys with guns — 2 million times a year in this country." ...

"I am in complete agreement with the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights, which protects the right of the citizens to keep and bear arms, and I will also defend that right for you, if necessary."

"What I am having a problem with is the proliferation of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. Exactly what is the purpose for the purchase of these weapons? What are you protecting yourself against? You don't need an assault rifle with a 100-round magazine to hunt rabbits. Have we, as a nation, become so paranoid of perceived threats that we feel that we must have our own personal arsenal to defend against 'them?'" ...

"For those of you who don’t remember, Piers Morgan was fired from his position at the Daily Mirror in Britain when he published doctored photographs that showed British soldiers committing what appeared to be war crimes. ..."

"As a service to the schools in my community, I decided to offer an Ohio Concealed Carry Class to any local school employee free of charge. I did not know what to expect or what the response would be. I put the word out with a few phone calls to teachers I knew who had mentioned, prior to this class, that they wanted to get the training. Before I knew it, my voicemail was full of messages and I had the biggest single CCW class I have ever taught."

"I ended up with about 35 students, all concerned with school security and their ability to protect the innocent children whose lives were in their hands. It was obvious to them that no law could help them. ..." ...

"Once again, a mass tragedy comes at the hands of a person who should not have had access to guns. The proliferation of firearms in this country results in approximately 30 people a day being killed by bullets, either accidentally or intentionally1. The Newtown, Conn., event is repeated almost daily in scattered incidents across the country."

"The sole purpose for the existence of guns is death, and anyone who claims to be 'pro-life' should be the first to call for regulations. ..." ...-------

Submitter's Note: 1More than half (about 57% over the last decade or so) of which are suicides and it has been repeatedly shown that suicide rates are independent of method.

"I might be called a gun man. I grew up on a farm in rural Wisconsin. We enjoyed hunting rabbits, pheasants, squirrels, ducks and deer. Since we have lived in this area, I have usually had a gun. I'm no gun hater."

"The rifles and shotguns we used were efficient killers of game. We didn't need weapons designed for the mass killing of human beings. Neither does anyone else, other than the military and perhaps the police. Our founders, when they wrote the Second Amendment, never heard of such weapons; they hadn't yet been invented." ...

"Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is an internationally recognized scholar, author, soldier, and speaker who is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of human aggression and the roots of violence and violent crime." ...

"A conservative group is hoping that tens of thousands turn out to show their support for gun ownership with their pocketbooks and picket signs the day before President Barack Obama is sworn in for a second term."

"The group, a coalition brought together for the event, declared Jan. 19 'Gun Appreciation Day.' The hope is Americans nationwide will show their support for gun ownership by turning out en masse at gun stores, ranges and shows from coast to coast."

"'The Obama administration has shown that it is more than willing to trample the Constitution to impose its dictates upon the American people,' said Gun Appreciation Day chairman Larry Ward in a press release." ...

QUOTES
TO REMEMBER

By a very conservative estimate, a hundred million people have died at the hands of their own governments in this century. Given that record, how bad could anarchy be? — Joseph Sobran

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